Veneer sorting apparatus

Abstract

Veneer sorting apparatus for sorting a moving stream of arbitrarily ordered full width, random width, fishtail and trash veneer pieces in response to a signal representative of a characteristic such as width. Each piece is deflected into an appropriate output path: one path contains substantially only full width pieces, a second path contains substantially only trash pieces, and a third path contains substantially only fishtail and random width veneer pieces. A first vacuum source is coupled to a first series of vacuum ports positioned closely proximate to and spaced transversely across the moving stream. Vacuum applied through the ports initially draws all the pieces toward the full width output path. Dampers responsive to the characteristic signal temporarily decouple the vacuum ports from the vacuum source upon detection of a trash piece, allowing the trash to fall away from the full width output path. To further assist in trash removal, an air jet responsive to the characteristic signal is provided adjacent the first vacuum ports to blow trash pieces into the trash output path; and, a first pivotable finger downstream of the vacuum ports responds to the signal by deflecting trash into the trash output path. A second pivotable finger downstream of the first finger responds to the signal by deflecting fishtail and random width pieces into the fishtail and random width output path.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Veneer sorting apparatus for sorting a moving stream of variable width veneer pieces conveyed into said apparatus, by deflecting said respective pieces into one of three output paths in response to a signal representative of width of said respective pieces such that each of said paths contains substantially only veneer pieces having a selected width range, said apparatus comprising: (a) a first vacuum source;   (b) a first plurality of vacuum ports coupled to said first vacuum source, positioned closely proximate to said conveyed moving stream and spaced transversely across said conveyed moving stream to draw said veneer pieces toward a first one of said output paths;   (c) a plurality of dampers coupled to said respective first vacuum ports and responsive to said signal to temporarily decouple said first vacuum ports from said first vacuum source if a veneer piece having a width less than a first selected width is adjacent any of said first vacuum ports;   (d) a first pivotable finger downstream of said first vacuum ports and responsive to said signal to sort veneer pieces having a width less than a second selected width by deflecting said pieces having a width less than said second selected width into a second one of said output paths; and,   (e) a second pivotable finger downstream of said first finger and responsive to said signal to sort veneer pieces having a width less than said first selected width and greater than said second selected width by deflecting said pieces having a width less than said first selected width and greater than said second selected width into a third one of said output paths.   
     
     
       2. Veneer sorting apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising an air jet responsive to said signal to blow veneer pieces having a width less than said second selected width into said second output path. 
     
     
       3. Veneer sorting apparatus as defined in claim 2, further comprising: (a) a second vacuum source; and,   (b) a second plurality of vacuum ports coupled to said second vacuum source, positioned closely proximate to said first output path and spaced transversely across said first output path to draw toward said first output path veneer pieces having a width greater than said first selected width.   
     
     
       4. Veneer sorting apparatus as defined in claim 3, further comprising: (a) a fourth output path; and,   (b) a third pivotable finger downstream of said second finger and responsive to said signal to deflect some of said veneer pieces having a width greater than said first selected width from said first output path into said fourth output path.   
     
     
       5. Veneer sorting apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein: (a) said signal is further representative of extent of any open defects in each of said veneer pieces; and,   (b) said dampers are further responsive to said signal to decouple said first vacuum ports from said first vacuum source upon detection of a veneer piece having open defects exceeding a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
       6. Veneer sorting apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said air jet is further responsive to said signal to blow into said second output path veneer pieces having open defects exceeding a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
       7. Veneer sorting apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said first and second pivotable fingers have concave lower surfaces. 
     
     
       8. Veneer sorting apparatus for sorting a moving stream of arbitrarily ordered full width, random width, fishtail and trash veneer pieces conveyed into said apparatus, by deflecting said respective pieces into one of three output paths in response to a signal representative of whether said respective pieces are full width, random width, fishtail or trash pieces such that a first one of said paths contains substantially only full width veneer pieces, a second one of said paths contains substantially only trash veneer pieces, and a third one of said paths contains substantially only fishtail and random width veneer pieces, said apparatus comprising: (a) a first vacuum source;   (b) a first plurality of vacuum ports coupled to said first vacuum source, positioned closely proximate to and spaced transversely across said conveyed moving stream to initially draw all of said veneer pieces toward said output path containing substantially only full width veneer pieces;   (c) a plurality of dampers coupled to said respective first vacuum ports and responsive to said signal to temporarily decouple said first vacuum ports from said first vacuum source if a trash veneer piece is adjacent any of said first vacuum ports;   (c) a first pivotable finger downstream of said first vacuum ports and responsive to said signal to sort said trash veneer pieces by deflecting said trash veneer pieces into said output path containing substantially only trash veneer pieces; and,   (d) a second pivotable finger downstream of said first finger and responsive to said signal to sort said fishtail and random width veneer pieces by deflecting said fishtail and random width veneer pieces into said output path containing substantially only fishtail and random width veneer pieces.   
     
     
       9. Veneer sorting apparatus as defined in claim 8, further comprising an air jet responsive to said signal to blow said trash veneer pieces into said output path containing substantially only trash veneer pieces. 
     
     
       10. Veneer sorting apparatus as defined in claim 9, further comprising: (a) a second vacuum source; and,   (b) a second plurality of vacuum ports coupled to said second vacuum source, positioned closely proximate to and spaced transversely across said output path containing substantially only full width veneer pieces to draw said full width veneer pieces toward said output path containing substantially only full width veneer pieces.   
     
     
       11. Veneer sorting apparatus as defined in claim 10, further comprising: (a) a fourth output path containing substantially only full width veneer pieces; and,   (b) a third pivotable finger downstream of said second finger and responsive to said signal to deflect some of said full width veneer pieces from said first output path containing substantially only full width veneer pieces into said fourth output path containing substantially only full width veneer pieces.